Wednesday: CapFriendly reports that the deal carries a 10-team no-trade clause and will pay Driedger $2.5MM in 2021-22, $3.5MM in 2022-23, and $4.5MM in 2023-24.
Monday: It appears as though we may now know the first member of the Seattle Kraken’s NHL roster for 2021-22. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman is reporting that the team is finalizing a three-year contract with Florida Panthers goaltender Chris Driedger. The contract carries a $3.5MM cap hit and is for three years, carrying him through the 2023-24 season.
The Seattle Kraken are indeed exempt from this current transaction freeze, meaning the deal could become official before Wednesday’s expansion draft. The Kraken have this period to speak with pending unrestricted free agents and agree on contracts if possible. Driedger, one of those pending UFAs, will count as the team’s selection from the Florida Panthers for expansion purposes.
Driedger will come to the Kraken and serve as one-half of what’s likely to be a formidable goalie duo. With names like Carey Price, Ben Bishop, Kaapo Kahkonen, Braden Holtby, Vitek Vanecek, and others as potential selections for Seattle, Driedger can expect 30-50 starts as part of a tandem situation.
It’s a chance for Driedger’s career to really take off on the West Coast. He’s emerged as an extremely capable netminder over the last two seasons in Florida, but his appearances have been limited due to the presence of Sergei Bobrovsky. Now, with the upstart Spencer Knight securing a spot for next season, Driedger wasn’t expected to return to the Panthers. Posting a remarkable 21-8-4 record and .931 save percentage across 34 Florida starts, his rise to prominence has been compared by some to that of the St. Louis Blues’ Jordan Binnington. But without a Stanley Cup Final run under his belt, Driedger obviously doesn’t carry the same clout. However, he’s shown the ability to repeat near-elite performance across two different seasons, albeit in a small sample size. Seattle keeps the cap hit low here, ensuring that the deal could still be fair value even if Driedger doesn’t quite repeat his Florida success.
Regardless, it’s an important move for the Kraken and general manager Ron Francis. It’s entirely possible that they’ve inked their starting netminder for Game 1 of the regular season, an exciting prospect to think about for the expansion team.
I think that’s a very fair contract
Don’t understand why they don’t wait, then they can pick an asset in expansion as well? Florida has other Good pieces worth grabbing.
The Kraken just want to be sure they get him.
Seattle already has a better team than SJ
Dreiger has such a small but good sample size, it’s an interesting pick. He could still be Andrew Hammond 2.0.
But, the opportunity to pair him with a top young goalie like Kahkonen make this, I think, an easy choice for Seattle. Even with Price and Bishop being dangled in front of them.
First move was great. Decent contract and he has proven he can play well in the NHL.
Driedger should’ve just went to market. Seattle got a steal here, maybe a guarantee of the starting gig swayed him?
Chris Dreidger will be a great depth goaltender.
Good size though and he was a CHL stud. Those skills will only get better with time.
He’s not signed to be depth he’s goin to start the year and Seattle is goin to take kahkonen to pair with him, no point in paying prices contract if he’s missing significant time next year
Have to take Price in the draft
Gabriel Lanndeskog will be Seattle’s captain on opening day.
Should have taken Vatrano and attempted to get Driedger when Free Agency opens. If you miss out on Driedger who cares you have plenty of options in net at the draft. I don’t agree with this, but I expect I’m in the minority hear
Does this count as their selection from Florida?
Yes. They should have picked someone else and signed him in free agency.
The other thing kinda lost in the expansion draft attention is SEA has the #2 pick in the entry draft.
It BUF takes Power, SEA gets their hands on Beniers and center looks to be their weakest spot.
Maybe they will take Domi, use him as the closest thing they have to a 1C for a year and then hope Beniers is ready.
Until this week, I had always assumed teams would learn from last time and SEA wouldn’t be as good as VGK. They have a chance to be better.
Is Benny expected to return to college next year?
I’ve followed this draft less than any, but from what I have read both have said they are going back to Michigan, and I don’t know that scouts are disagreeing and suggesting they are step right in at 18 types.
I like your mock draft re: Avalanche. Although, I hate to see either Donskoi or Compher go, it is better than losing Landeskog!!